WHY DO THEY DO THAT?

If you do something long enough, it’s bound to become a tradition

Adhering to and celebrating traditions is at the heart of being a sports fan.

It is fun to play a game, but it is just as fun to watch thanks to a rich history of crazy fans and sports-specific or even team-specific traditions that have stood the test of time.

Some of these rituals are so entrenched, most of us don’t even know where they came from.

Here’s a list of some of our most interesting sports traditions and their origins:

The “C of Red”

The best way to show support for your favorite team is to proudly wear the team colors. If you’re like me, the first time you witnessed an entire arena show solidarity by wearing the same color, you thought it was pretty cool. Now, much like the Fast and Furious franchise, the idea is running on fumes.

The NHL’s Calgary Flames were the first to do this during the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals. The Edmonton Oilers were in the midst of “Hat Trick Fever” as they attempted to win their third consecutive championship. In response, Calgary promoted the “C of Red” to encourage its fans to come dressed in entirely red. During the following year’s first round, Calgary’s opponent responded with the “Winnipeg White Out.” The point as usual: Blame Canada.

The Terrible Towel

The “Terrible Towel” is as much a symbol of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers as their three-star logo. The inspiration came from the Steelers winning their first ever Super Bowl in 1974. In 1975, they were strong contenders again after going 12-2 during the regular season. Around that time, general manager Ted Atkins, sales manager Larry Gerrett and broadcaster Myron Cope brainstormed ideas to market the team’s success.

The “Terrible Towel” was chosen because it was cheap, durable and easy to carry around. The first idea was a mask of head coach Chuck Noll, but was dismissed due to price issues. Thankfully, because I can’t imagine anything more frightening than 50,000 people wearing Chuck Noll masks.

The Playoff Beard

The belief that growing one’s whiskers out actually increases the chances of winning a championship began with the NHL’s New York Islanders, when the team lifted the Stanley Cup four years in a row (1980-83). Since then, if there’s a title to be won, most athletes use the Grizzly Adams look to keep the party going.

I am a firm believer in the power of a beard. Quite frankly, our federal government could use some more facial hair. When was the last time you saw a congressman or senator with a beard? No wonder nothing gets done in Washington anymore. Capitol Hill is in need of a soul patch transplant.

The Rally Cap

When the ’77 and ’78 Texas Rangers first took their caps off to help “rally-up” their teammates, who knew they’d start such a phenomenon?

The Rally Cap rose to national prominence during the 1986 World Series between the Mets and Red Sox, when TV cameras showed New York players wearing the inside-out hats in the dugout during Game 6 to help spark a rally. So Sox fans shouldn’t even blame Bill Buckner for his gaffe. He was powerless against the extra mojo. It’s science.

Drinking milk after winning the Indy 500

Ron Burgundy would have certainly disagreed when Louis Meyer found himself in Victory Lane at the Indianapolis 500 in 1936, and chose a nice cold bottle of buttermilk to refresh himself.

Meyer was photographed gulping down the beverage and the image ultimately made its way to the National Dairy Council, who saw a golden marketing opportunity. A tradition was born, one of the most original in sports.

The Seventh Inning Stretch

Popular culture would have you believe former President William Howard Taft stood up to stretch at a Washington Senators game in 1910, causing the entire stadium to stand upon seeing their Commander and Chief rise. Back then the bleachers were hard, uncomfortable benches and people weren’t on their cell phones or getting snacks every inning.

They just sat there and watched the game, so the stretch was needed. Now, it’s not required so much but we still honor it. I guess Mark Twain was right when he wrote, “The less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it.”